Chasing Fairy Tales: A Weekend at Neuschwanstein with Mia
October 2023 I had heard rumors of a real-life fairy tale castle tucked away in the Bavarian Alps—a place so magical it supposedly inspired Disney himself. The place is called Neuschwanstein , located in Schwangau, Germany. Naturally, I decided I had to see it. But here is the catch: Neuschwanstein attracts an incredible amount of people. To avoid the crushing crowds, I stuck to my golden rule of travel: Go in the off-season. October seemed perfect—crisp air, golden leaves, and hopefully, a little more breathing room for me and my dog, Mia. Since it’s only a five-hour drive from Prague, we packed the car for a long weekend. The drive was easy (and free, since German Autobahns don’t charge tolls for passenger cars!), and as soon as we hit the Austrian border region, the landscape transformed. Mountains rose up, lakes sparkled, and the whole world started to look like a postcard. Day 1: The Warm-Up at Hohenschwangau We arrived in the afternoon and wasted no time. While everyone r...